Watching lectures at increased speed?

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Dr.CCM

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Okay, this may seem like a stupid question, but how do you exactly watch the podcasts at 1.5 and 2x speed with Itunes podcasts--that's what we use. Also, what are the benefits of this? When I watch them, I usually go slow. But, I've been reading that many actually get a lot out them watching at increased speeds--I'm assuming you do this after you have either read scribe notes/been to the said lecture, correct?

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I used quicktime to speed up our mp3 audio and mp4 video lectures. Worked pretty well.

Benefits is that you can cut down on lots of the repeating of powerpoint facts or note facts that you already have and can focus on the value added material when professor explains concepts. It is most useful if your school uses note packs or printed handouts to go along with each lecture. You can just slow down or repeat if you need to in certain spots.

If your lectures do not have accompanying material, then you probably would need to go slow to take down every fact the professor says.
 
If you're using quicktime, press Ctrl + K to bring up the AV controls, and you'll have a slider bar for adjusting the playback speed. I've found that beyond 1.5X, quicktime has a habit of really distorting the sound. Even at 1.5X it seems a little distorted to me.

Windows MEdia Player can also increase playback speed as well, and sounds better IMO. Open to any suggestions from anyone else though on good programs that have rapid playback speeds without compromising quality of sound.
 
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i use windows media player for me. Usually at 2.0 speed unless we have a professor with a terrible accent, then i kick it down to 1.5 speed.

It turns a potential 1 hour lecture to 30 minutes(not including pausing). It's really saved me alot of time to do other stuff.
 
If you're using quicktime, press Ctrl + K to bring up the AV controls, and you'll have a slider bar for adjusting the playback speed. I've found that beyond 1.5X, quicktime has a habit of really distorting the sound. Even at 1.5X it seems a little distorted to me.

Windows MEdia Player can also increase playback speed as well, and sounds better IMO. Open to any suggestions from anyone else though on good programs that have rapid playback speeds without compromising quality of sound.

VLC media player, sounds great at 1.5X and still quite tolerable at 2X.
 
VLC media player, sounds great at 1.5X and still quite tolerable at 2X.

Yeah the trick is to get it to VLC. I had some teachers I could listen to at 3X speed (a couple hours of this and you'll be caught up, but a bit weird for a while). Now I just don't listen to them at all. Notes + Goljan = MD (so far, so good)
 
VLC at 1.5 works for me, but it depends on the lecturer.
 
Windows Media works great. It's smooth to 200%. Slightly choppy up to 300%, but still good. Understandable up to 400%, but too choppy to actually enjoy. I don't think it can accelerate video though.

Quicktime & iPod start getting choppy beyond 150%, and they're nearly intolerable.
 
How do you guys get the speed to increase in VLC? When I opened my video in VLC, it wouldn't let me change the playback speed.
 
VLC media player, sounds great at 1.5X and still quite tolerable at 2X.


totally agree.. unless the lecturer already talks incredibly quickly as 1X lol

i sometimes try to relisten to all the lectures day before the exam at 2x the speed... but i can only do that if im caught up in my studying and the exam covers less than 20 lectures.. which is rare in 2nd year 😎
 
My school does not have packets. We are mostly taught by PowerPoint during lectures. We do have a transcription service though where the professors' words are taken down verbatim and organized by PowerPoint slide.

With that in mind, would listening to these lectures after reading our professors' lectures be of any benefit or just a waste. I've been doing well just using this transcription service and supplementing with textbook stuff but I'm always interested in finding a way to improve studying.

I was planning on reading our transcription while following along in the PowerPoint then going through the podcast at 1.5-2x to just give me another way to get the information. Waste of time?
 
My school does not have packets. We are mostly taught by PowerPoint during lectures. We do have a transcription service though where the professors' words are taken down verbatim and organized by PowerPoint slide.

With that in mind, would listening to these lectures after reading our professors' lectures be of any benefit or just a waste. I've been doing well just using this transcription service and supplementing with textbook stuff but I'm always interested in finding a way to improve studying.

I was planning on reading our transcription while following along in the PowerPoint then going through the podcast at 1.5-2x to just give me another way to get the information. Waste of time?
that what i usually try to do. I read the transcripts 2x and if i have time left (which isnt always) i listen to lectures at 2x the speed. its nice but i think im gonna abandon it for using the day before the exam for reading the relevant FA section. did it for our cardio exam and found it more helpful. and reading some path case files too.
 
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If you can download them, VLC media player is the way to go imo.

As for the benefits...it depends on the person I guess. For me, it's kind of like shifting to a higher gear. The normal speed of lectures is too slow for me to follow. After enough uhms and ahs and pauses my eyes start to glaze over and my attention wanes. But at double speed it is easier to follow the logical flow of ideas. You feel like you aren't wasting time.
 
If you can download them, VLC media player is the way to go imo.

As for the benefits...it depends on the person I guess. For me, it's kind of like shifting to a higher gear. The normal speed of lectures is too slow for me to follow. After enough uhms and ahs and pauses my eyes start to glaze over and my attention wanes. But at double speed it is easier to follow the logical flow of ideas. You feel like you aren't wasting time.
omg! so true..
 
I have also noticed that I can not listen to Goljan on anything but 1x. And sometimes I have to relisten to parts. Although the written out version helps...

Class=3x and 1/10 useful for boards
Goljan=1X and 10/10 useful for boards
 
My school does not have packets. We are mostly taught by PowerPoint during lectures. We do have a transcription service though where the professors' words are taken down verbatim and organized by PowerPoint slide.

With that in mind, would listening to these lectures after reading our professors' lectures be of any benefit or just a waste. I've been doing well just using this transcription service and supplementing with textbook stuff but I'm always interested in finding a way to improve studying.

I was planning on reading our transcription while following along in the PowerPoint then going through the podcast at 1.5-2x to just give me another way to get the information. Waste of time?

If your lectures are transcribed verbatim, I don't see the point of going back just to hear it read to you after you have already gone through it. I would much rather spend that time either going through question banks or skimming through another review book/FA
 
How do you guys get the speed to increase in VLC? When I opened my video in VLC, it wouldn't let me change the playback speed.


On the bottom of the VLC player there is a box with a 1.00x in it. Just click on that and you can adjust the speed of playback with a slider. I'm sure there is a way to adjust it in the settings as well but using the slider is easier IMO.
 
If your lectures are transcribed verbatim, I don't see the point of going back just to hear it read to you after you have already gone through it. I would much rather spend that time either going through question banks or skimming through another review book/FA

I was assuming you'd gain more retention by hearing as well, perhaps not. I'm a very visual learner--hence class was a waste. But, hearing the stuff after seeing it could be something else.

Maybe I'll just read them aloud.
 
I was assuming you'd gain more retention by hearing as well, perhaps not. I'm a very visual learner--hence class was a waste. But, hearing the stuff after seeing it could be something else.

Maybe I'll just read them aloud.

I agree with you. Personally, I liked to hear it and see it from lecturers' material. I wanted to kill my tests in basic sciences. You're not going to kill your tests with review books. The authors of review books don't write your tests.

Our professors did a good job of focusing on clinical and board revelant material, so learning it was also preparing for the step.
 
Except when they do, since most authors of review books are medical school professors.

If you're in Goljan's class then it would probably be beneficial to study from RR path. I didn't have the benefit of taking a class from Costanzo, Goljan, or any of the other authors.

If I had just studied from review books, I would have gotten a pass in everything. Those extra points to honor came from details in powerpoints and lectures.
 
Use powerdvd, lets you play at 2x without any sound/pitch or video distortion. I used it to watch kaplan videos for step 1 in 2/3rds of the time. (not sure if you can download the podcasts)
 
My school uses Echo360 with downloading lectures disabled. Does anyone know of a way I could download my lectures and speed them up or just speed them up directly? I tried enounce, but the video would speed up and pause to compensate, so no time was gained.
 
If your lectures are transcribed verbatim, I don't see the point of going back just to hear it read to you after you have already gone through it. I would much rather spend that time either going through question banks or skimming through another review book/FA

I agree with this. If things like 'Hint hint, this might be on the test' were transcribed for me, I don't think I would know what any of my professors sounded like.
 
I use gom player which lets you change speeds at increments of .1x using the "x" and "c" keys which is really helpful. I usually stay around 1.5x for most people but 2.0x is great for the professors who speak very slowly. There is some audio distortion but it doesn't take too much effort to follow along. I find that it's more useful after I've heard the lecture once so I can focus on the salient points.
 
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